Work-life Balance for Financial Professionals
Work-life balance has become an increasingly important yet challenging prospect for many employees over the years. The advancement in technology has blurred the line between personal life and work life through the use of online communication.
The process of having a balance between work and demand for leisure and relaxation in life has become much more difficult under the intensely competitive nature of the current job market. The long working hours, minimum time to spend for leisure with the families and high stress levels have made the financial sector one of the most intensive industries among all. The financial industry is notorious for its long working hours and is one of the most difficult sectors to achieve work-life balance where employees tend to work from "9-to-5", which means, 9 a.m. to 5 a.m.
What employees need to do is to firstly identify the needs and wants for themselves.
It is always helpful during job-hunting to self-evaluate on the things you expect from work and want out of work. It helps with the process of job-hunting if you are able to define what is more important for you right now at the present stage of life, whether you are capable of the company’s working hours or whether the company you are looking for meets the expectation and needs of yours. The negative work-life balance can lead to mental health issues as well as a lack of productivity at work. Therefore a lot of companies and employees nowadays aim to address the issue of work-life balance.
If you prefer to work in an environment with normal working hours, you can look for companies that offer a better work-life balance. If you're already working under a lot of stress and not being productive, ask your company in a proactive way for some flexibility so that it enhances your productivity and efficiency. Alternatively, you can also be the leader in making a difference for your company and your colleagues by becoming a champion or mentor in the company that offers help for others. Interestingly, Deloitte LLP has created the "Deloitte Dad" group to support the working fathers so this should inspire you and others to follow.
Work-life balance really is important to the welfare of all so do what you can to achieve a better balance in your life!
